Bhojpuri language
Bhojpuri ( ;Bhojpuri entry, Oxford Dictionaries , Oxford University Press ) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the northeastern part of India and the Terai region of Nepal. It is chiefly spoken in western Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.Ethnologue's detailed language map of western Madhesh; see the disjunct enclaves of language #9 in SE. Bhojpuri is sociolinguistically considered one of the Hindi dialectsDiwakar Mishra and Kalika Bali, A COMPARATIVE PHONOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE DIALECTS OF HINDI , ICPhS XVII, Hong Kong, 17–21 August 2011, pp 1390. Although it officially belongs to the geographic Bihari branch of Eastern Indo-Aryan languages. Fiji Hindi, an official language of Fiji, is a variant of Bhojpuri. Bhojpuri is one of the recognized official languages of Nepal and Fiji. It is also a minority language in Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, South Africa, and Mauritius. The variant of Bhojpuri of the Indo-Caribbean people is Caribbean Hindustani.Hindustani, Caribbean Ethnologue (2013) It has experienced considerable English lexical influence in Trinidad and Tobago and in Guyana, and it also experienced considerable Sranan Tongo Creole, Dutch, and English lexical influence in Suriname. In Mauritius, a distinctive dialect of Bhojpuri remains in use. The day-to-day usage of the language in Mauritius is dropping and today, it is spoken by approximately 5% of the population, according to the latest census.William J. Frawley, International Encyclopedia of Linguistics, Volume 1, , Oxford University Press, Bhojpuri, page 481 Geographic distribution The Bhojpuri speaking region is bound by the Awadhi-speaking region to the west, Nepali speaking region to the north, Magahi- and Maithili-speaking regions to the east, and Magahi- and Bagheli-speaking regions to the south. Bhojpuri is a major language spoken in Nepal. In Bangladesh, there are also Bhojpuri-speaking Muslims. However, their total number is estimated to be smaller than the number of Bhojpuri speakers in Mauritius, South Africa, Fiji, and the Caribbean nations. Outside South Asia Bhojpuri is also spoken by people who were brought as indentured labourers in the 19th century and early 20th century, for work in plantations during British colonial era, to Mauritius, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, Fiji, other parts of the Caribbean, Jamaica, and South Africa. Dialects The known dialects as per world language classification system, are Bhojpuri Tharu, Domra, Madhesi, Musahari, Northern Standard Bhojpuri (Basti, Gorakhpuri, Sarawaria), Southern Standard Bhojpuri (Kharwari), and Western Standard Bhojpuri (Benarsi, Purbi). Bhojpuri has the following dialects, the first three being the major dialects:Bhojpuri Language Materials Project, University of California, Los Angeles, United States #Southern Standard Bhojpuri #Northern Standard Bhojpuri #Western Standard BhojpuriParable of the prodigal son in Benares Bhojpuri , A Recording in May 1920 by Rajaji Gupta, Linguistic Survey of India, Digital South Asia Library, University of Chicago, USA #Nagpuria BhojpuriParable of the prodigal son in Nagpuria Bhojpuri , A Recording in 1920 by Shiva Sahay Lal, Linguistic Survey of India, Digital South Asia Library, University of Chicago, USA Southern Standard Bhojpuri is prevalent in the areas of Shahabad (Buxar, Bhojpur, Rohtas and Kaimur districts) and Saran region (Saran, Siwan and Gopalganj districts) in Bihar, and eastern Azamgarh (Ballia and Mau district) and Varanasi regions (eastern part of Ghazipur district) in Uttar Pradesh. It is sometimes referred to as "Kharwari". It can be further divided into "Shahabadi", "Chapariyah" and "Pachhimahi".Map of Southern Standard Bhojpuri Digital Library of Language Relationships (2012) Northern Bhojpuri is common in the areas of Gorakhpur division (Deoria, Kushinagar, Gorakhpur and Maharajganj districts) and Basti regions (Basti, Sidhartha Nagar and Sant Kabir Nagar districts) in Uttar Pradesh, western Tirhut region (east and west Champaran districts) in Bihar and other districts in Nepal.Shaligram Shukla (1981), Bhojpuri Grammar, Georgetown University School of Language, Western Bhojpuri is prevalent in the areas of Varanasi (Varanasi, Chandauli, Jaunpur and Western part of Ghazipur districts), Azamgarh (Azamgarh district) and Mirzapur regions (Mirzapur, Sant Ravidas Nagar and Bhadohi districts) in Uttar Pradesh. ‘Banarasi’ is a local name for the Banaras Bhojpuri. Western Bhojpuri is also referred to as "Purbi" or "Benarsi".Western Standard Bhojpuri Digital Library of Language Relationships (2012) Nagpuria Bhojpuri is southern most popular dialect, found in Chota Nagpur Plateau of Jharkhand, particularly parts of Palamau and of Ranchi. It has more Magahi influence. It is sometimes referred to as "Sadari".Monika Horstmann (1969), Sadari, Indologia Berolinensis, Otto Harrassowitz - Wiesbaden, Germany, pp 176-180 Phonology Vowels Consonants Sociolinguistics Bhojpuri is, sociolinguistically, one of the seven Hindi languages (Haryanvi, Braj, Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Bundeli, Bagheli and Kannauji). Of these seven, Bhojpuri has the most allophonic variations in vowels.Diwakar Mishra and Kalika Bali, A COMPARATIVE PHONOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE DIALECTS OF HINDI , ICPhS XVII, Hong Kong, 17–21 August 2011, pp 1390-1393 Robert Trammell has published the phonology of Bhojpuri. Verma, Manindra K. (2003), Bhojpuri, In Cardona et al. (Editors), The Indo-Aryan Languages, 515-537. London: Routledge Bhojpuri has six vowel phonemes, and ten vocoids. The higher vowels are relatively tense, while lower vowels are relatively lax. The language has 31 consonant phonemes and 34 contoids (6 bilabial, 4 apico-dental, 5 apico-alveolar, 7 retroflex, 6 alveo-palatal, 5 dorso-velar and 1 glottal). According to Trammell, the syllable system is peak type: every syllable has the vowel phoneme as the highest point of sonority. Codas may consist of one, two or three consonants. Vowels occur as simple peaks or as peak nuclei in diphthongs. The intonation system involves four pitch levels and three terminal contours.Shukla, Shaligram (1981), Bhojpuri Grammar, Washington, D. C., Georgetown University Press Writing system Bhojpuri was historically written in Kaithi scripts, but since 1894, Devanagari has served as the primary script. Kaithi is rarely used presently. Kaithi script was used for administrative purposes in the Mughal era for writing Bhojpuri, Awadhi, Maithili, Magahi and Hindustani from at least the 16th century up to the first decade of the 20th century. Government gazetteers report that Kaithi was used in a few districts of Bihar throughout the 1960s. Bhojpuri residents of India, who signed up and moved as indentured labour in Africa, Mauritius, Fiji, and the Caribbean colonies of the British Empire in 19th century and early 20th century, used Kaithi as well as Devanagari scripts.Rajend Mesthrie, Language in indenture: a sociolinguistic history of Bhojpuri-Hindi in South Africa, Routledge, 1992, , pages 30-32 By 1894, official texts in Bihar were written in Kaithi and Devanagari. At present almost all Bhojpuri texts are written in Devanagari even in the overseas islands where Bhojpuri is spoken. For example, in Mauritius, both Kaithi and Devanagari scripts have been in use since the arrival of Bhojpuri people from India. The Kathi script was considered informal in Mauritius, with the structure of Kaithi similar to Devanagari (spelled Devanagri in Mauritius). In modern Mauritius, Bhojpuri script is Devanagari.Sarita Boodho, Bhojpuri traditions in Mauritius, Mauritius Bhojpuri Institute, 1999, , pages 47-48 and 85-92 Politeness Bhojpuri syntax and vocabulary reflect a three-tier system of politeness. Any verb can be conjugated as per these tiers. For example, the verb "to come" in Bhojpuri is "aana" and the verb "to speak" is "bolna." The imperatives "come!" and "speak!" can thus be conjugated in five ways, each marking subtle variation in politeness and propriety. These permutations exclude a host of auxiliary verbs and expressions which can be added to these verbs to add even greater degree of subtle variation. For extremely polite or formal situations, the pronoun is generally omitted. Similarly, adjectives are marked for politeness and formality. For example, "your" has several forms with different tones of politeness: "tum" (casual and intimate), "tōhār" (polite and intimate), "t'hār" (formal yet intimate), "rā'ur" (polite and formal) and "āp ke" (extremely formal). Although there are many tiers of politeness, Bhojpuri speakers mainly use the form "tum" to address an individual who is younger and "ap" for individuals who are older than themselves or hold a higher position in workplace situations. Status There have been demands for greater official recognition of Bhojpuri, such as via its inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India. Some academics oppose inclusion of Bhojpuri in the Eighth Schedule of Constitution. According to them recognition of Hindi dialects as separate languages would deprive Hindi of millions of its speakers and there will further demand to add more Hindi dialects to include in Eighth Schedule, eventually no Hindi will be left. Education Bhojpuri language is taught in matriculation and at higher secondary level in Bihar School Education Board and Board of High School and Intermediate Education Uttar Pradesh. Bhojpuri is also taught in various universities of India, such as Veer kunwar Singh University, Banaras Hindu University, and Nalanda Open University, Dr. Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University.http://dsmru.up.nic.in/User/course.aspx Literature Lorikayan, or the story of Veer Lorik, is a famous Bhojpuri folklore of Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Bhikhari Thakur's Bidesiya is another famous book. Phool Daliya is a well known book by freedom fighter Prasiddh Narayan Singh "Prasiddh". It is a collection of several poems in Bhojpuri of "veer ras" mainly on the theme of "azaadi", his experiences of jail post Quit India movement and India's struggle with poverty immediately after independence. Media Many Bhojpuri magazines and papers are published in Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. There are several Bhojpuri newspapers available in local regions of northern India without any online presence because they are not wealthy enough to publish on online platforms. The names of the newspapers are in Bhojpuri essence.The newspapers are printed in Bhojpuri pronunciation and attracts the majority readers in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Uttarakhand. Parichhan is a contemporary literary-cultural Maithili-Bhojpuri magazine, published by Maithili-Bhojpuri academy, Delhi government and edited by Parichay Das. The Sunday Indian, BhojpuriBhojpuri - The Sunday Indian Newspaper is a regular national news magazine in Bhojpuri. Aakhar is a monthly online Bhojpuri literature magazine. Other media in Bhojpuri include Lok Lucknow, Mahuaa TV and Hamar TV are Bhojpuri language channels. Common words Weekdays Common Phrases Example text The following is Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Bhojpuri, Hindi, Caribbean Hindustani, and English:Universal Declaration of Human Rights Bhojpuri language (United Nations) अनुच्छेद १: सबहि लोकानि आजादे जन्मेला आउर ओखिनियो के बराबर सम्मान आओर अधिकार प्राप्त हवे। ओखिनियो के पास समझ-बूझ आउर अंत:करण के आवाज होखता आओर हुनको के दोसरा के साथ भाईचारे के बेवहार करे के होखला। अनुच्छेद १: सभी मनुष्यों को गौरव और अधिकारों के मामले में जन्मजात स्वतन्त्रता और समानता प्राप्त हैं। उन्हें बुद्धि और अन्तरात्मा की देन प्राप्त है और परस्पर उन्हें भाईचारे के भाव से बर्ताव करना चाहिये।Universal Declaration of Human Rights Hindi language (United Nations) Aadhiaai 1: Sab djanne aadjádi aur barabar paidaa bhailèn, iddjat aur hak mê. Ohi djanne ke lage sab ke samadj-boedj aur hierdaai hai aur doesare se sab soemmat sè, djaane-maane ke chaahin.UDHR Sárnami - Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.Universal Declaration of Human Rights English language (United Nations) See also * Languages of Nepal * Culture of Bhojpuri Region * Bhojpuri cinema References External links * The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Bhojpuri, United Nations Information Centre, India (1998) * Kaipuleohone has archived open access recordings of Bhojpuri. Category:Bhojpuri language Category:Dialects of Urdu Category:Languages of Uttar Pradesh Category:Languages of Bihar Category:Languages of Nepal Category:Languages of Jharkhand Category:Languages of Mauritius